Maggie’s What are you drinking right now!?

Labanaktis said:

You can send it my way! For me the RR13 has a beautiful Rickhouse note… like they squeezed the barrel sweat out and bottled it with the Turkey juice…

Russell’s is top 3 for me. My daily is the Red Russell’s Reserve.

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Which batch do you have, this is batch 2. I tried batch 1 at a bar and remember it being distinctly better. The oak is definitely there but in a bitter tannic form. It's not bad, but it damn sure ain't worth secondary price.

Russell's SB is my favorite shelfer.

I have the 2022 release. There is a particular note with the Turkey/Russell’s… it’s amplified in the RR13. Make sure it is Neat and your in the mood for a pour. Maybe try something low 90s to 100 proof before hand

I only drink it neat, and as you can see by the half empty bottle, I've given it several trys. It's ok, but not in my top 10. Give me ECBP or Stagg Jr any day over RR13.

That’s how it goes sometimes. I really like the Rebel 10 wheater then I had some Weller Full Proof. The Weller crushes it for me.

Still on the hunt for some Stagg JR

One more for tonight. Now that is the oakiness I like.

Nice 2020 bottle!

It's a good one, I have one more back up. 2020 was good to me in the bourbon dept.

An unexpected surprise today! Right place at the right time from GOOD people! Can’t wait to open this up in a couple days!

Batch 16 is a solid one

The only one I’ve ever came across! Would love a batch 12. Sure hope this shit let’s up in the next year or so.

Also looking forward to finding an Old Forester Barrel Proof

It's not going to let up. Too many "collectors". I remember being able to get the BTAC releases for retail every year. Stagg Jr on the shelf frequently, all the w12 or antique you could drink on the shelf at retail. It started getting bad about 10-12 years ago and has gotten progressively worse. Secondary on GTS and PVW 15 2 years ago was $400 and $1200 respectively, today $1000 and $2500.

Too many people found that there was a lot of money to be made in the secondary market. I know several "collectors" personally that do not drink bourbon.

Stagg Jr. Is great for $65, hard pass at $275-300 secondary. There are lots of great shelfers that the taters haven't discovered yet.

Taste buds needed re-calibrated, the bourbon was starting to taste off so switching to tequila for a while. Finishing off with a Corrido blanco from the original run, not the reboot after the owner died. Stuff made at NOM 1526 will be similar. Sol de Mexico was one, but that's also a dead brand now, the barrel ageing wasn't as refined as Corrido but was pretty close.

Sadly all my Corrido anejo is gone, that was truly great stuff. Do have fair bit of the blanco, reposado stashed away and some of the XA, but that was made somewhere else. That one is very rum like for a tequila.

Miller High Life, in a can. Same as always, but not as easy to find in commiefornia.

Woodford Reserve and Starr Hill Sonic Haze

Happy Friday

Flavor Heaven! I could smell this all evening. Pallet has chocolate, cherry, dark brown sugar. Nice cinnamon and oak on it to. Also get a molasses/toffee note a few sips in. The finish just goes and goes. To me it dose NOT drink like 130.9 proof… maybe more like 115-120ish. Still has one hell of a deep Kentucky Hug!

I’d love to have more

Think I may drop a poor from mine later .
STAG jr is tasty, very "consuming" of the senses.

Staring at the bottle right now but have plans to make my wife an adult pizza and serve a desert wine with it.

Too many chopped ingredients and fermenting dough to back Pedal now.

Let it Rip Snuby642! Let’s see that Pour. What batch?

Whiskey and wine don't mix, someone should tell those people casking whiskey in wine barrels.

A nice handmade adult pizza doesn't go well with whiskey for me.

131.1 proof, no batch # found.

I’d like to get a bottle of 15 and 12. I heard both are great. 12 is supposed to be on BTAC level. I have noticed that there is good whisky, and great whisky… then you come across something that smacks your pallet and wakes you right up. That’s what the Wellers Full Proof, Russell’s 13, this Stagg Jr 16 has been like for me. My Kentucky Owl Rye 3 has been a good one to. Might open Kentucky Owl Rye 4 up tonight.

RR13 and good wine

Well hell, I just couldn’t wait any longer.

Nose is amazing. Sweet Oak with equal parts Vanilla and Carmel. A little Chocolate and dark cherry on it to.

Pallet is SO rich. Sweet Oak with vanilla. Definitely NOT over Oaked. The oak actually turns slightly dry as the pallet goes on and on and on with some Butterscotch showing up. Wonderful baking spices with a hint of baking chocolate. Love this note the most

Finish ramps up. This juice really coats the mouth. A fine sipper. Really enjoying this one.

Matt

2022 Four Roses Barrel Proof Store Pick

Just picked this up a couple hours ago. I haven’t had a lot of Four Roses before.

Nose reminds me of some Wellers I’ve had. Lite Citrus Fruits like orange and pear, small amount of Leather. The Proof is present on the nose.

Pallet. Wakes you right up! Wasn’t expecting this. Very rich with a nice thickness of cinnamon and spices. Wonderful brown sugar sweetness and then the oak and Kentucky hug kicks in.

Finish. The barrel proof sticks around and has a good medium long finish of oak and spice. Has a nice mouthfeel that is not drying at all.

Overall this Four Roses Barrel Proof was a fantastic experience and unique compared to the others I have.

Matt

Finished up a session with a Balcones Baby Blue. I even put it through a Vinturi aerator.
You'd think after 14 F'ing years they would have something that is good, but nope.

It brings to mind the title of Hunter S. Thompson's final columns "Hey Rube"

6.5SH said:

Finished up a session with a Balcones Baby Blue. I even put it through a Vinturi aerator.
You'd think after 14 F'ing years they would have something that is good, but nope.

It brings to mind the title of Hunter S. Thompson's final columns "Hey Rube"

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I gave Balcones a few tries and finally threw in the towel. Maybe they made some good juice when Chip Tate was still running things there, but the stuff they're putting out these days just doesn't cut it.

A newer local distiller that's showing a lot of promise is Still Austin. Their standard whiskey is just O.K., but their cask strength is better than decent, it's actually a pretty darn good bourbon, particularly when you consider that it's only 2 to 3 years old. It's a solid effort that shows they're heading in the right direction. Keep an eye on Still Austin.

Talking about barrel proof.

Earlier had some garrison brothers 133.9 proof in a cold shot glass.

Bracing, then after warming on the tung hints of spice but mostly brown butter kind of slightly burnt caramel.

Like that slightly burnt tidbit you would shove your brother out of the way to get.

Evidently they are not bottling that anymore, good to the last drop then ------

Imidiatly wanted more but had to drive around on errands.

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What Garrison Brothers was it?

I think it was original release limmited ?

Didn't think to take a picture.
I'll see if I can get one.
It's not pored every day.

I think it might be expensive now.

My friend is the buyer for a liquor store and I get to try things above my pay grade often.

Surprisingly I don't normally like the highest grade oldest bottles and gravitate towards 6-10 year old bottles.

I do have an affliction for barrel proof .

If any decent comparison the stagg jr 131 barrel proof would be close but different back notes.

My buddy reminded me it is thier cowboy bottling.

Also he just told me about thier Balmorhea being very good, I have not tried that one.

They had thier regular 94 proof on the shelf today.

My wife starts giving me the stink eye if I have too many unopened bottles (collected).

She doesn't complain about drinking some good stuff but thinks the collection should not be so large.

Fair enough.

Balcones is trash and Garrison Bros is GROSSLY overpriced. The only thing I've had from TX that was good is the barrel proof Lone Elm 100% wheat whiskey made in Forney.

Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch. Surprisingly smooth and tasty! Try it if you can get it.

6.5SH said:

Finished up a session with a Balcones Baby Blue. I even put it through a Vinturi aerator.
You'd think after 14 F'ing years they would have something that is good, but nope.

It brings to mind the title of Hunter S. Thompson's final columns "Hey Rube"

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2018 Cask Stength Blue Corn and Rye are much better than Baby Blue. 121 and 126.6 proofs respectively. None of it’s great but may have to revisit those.

So, dug ‘em out. Damn. The rye is pretty horrible. A crazy, overwhelmingly fake chocolate flavor is prominent. The bourbon is actually alright. Maybe things change with a little water. Who knows. Just pulled from the bottles a couple times. The rye is 2019 apparently.

*Edit
Just read the rye description on the back.
“Chocolate”. No fucking wonder. Gross

Broke this open last night. Pretty tasty.

db2000 said:

So, dug ‘em out. Damn. The rye is pretty horrible. A crazy, overwhelmingly fake chocolate flavor is prominent. The bourbon is actually alright. Maybe things change with a little water. Who knows. Just pulled from the bottles a couple times. The rye is 2019 apparently.

*Edit
Just read the rye description on the back.
“Chocolate”. No fucking wonder. Gross
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Those rye malts are all made for brewing beer, I can see why it would be pretty vile in a whiskey.

XTREM HTR16 said:

Broke this open last night. Pretty tasty.

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Those are good

Finishing up with a Stagg Jr. 134.4 pf. (Yes, batch 1)

At home tasting samples....

The bounon is piss-water for a 14y.o. but the Mediterranean is amazing!

Prairie
Basic Becky barrel aged pumpkin 13.6%

WaltHer said:

The bounon is piss-water for a 14y.o. but the Mediterranean is amazing!
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Yeah, I have a 15 yr. It’s ok but nothing like Old Fitz 15

baddeerhunter said:

So what are YOU drinking right now?

I'm easy, so im drinking my favorite beer.... Busch Light. How about you?

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Water on the rocks

Four finger clanker.
Prideful goat 115 rye whiskey will hold up to the basterdisation.

Oregon dark sweet cherries out of a can and soaked with some whiskey. Not a bad compromise.

Pick up the flavor in a week easy.
I flip the jar every couple days.

About two shots per jar, 2 cans will make 3 jars. Devide the cherries into the 3 jars and add your whiskey then top off with reserved cherry juice.

Just watched my prideful goat supply dwindle. Probably not enough for another drink so may add the last to another batch of cherries.

Did confirm 2 shots of whiskey to the one 8 oz jar of cherries was best when using some 82 proof blended that just doesn't work for me anymore. Not bad blended but my taste has moved on.

Fired up my second clanker since nothing pressing in the morning and noticed it is time to go goat shopping.

Snuby642 said:

Just watched my prideful goat supply dwindle. Probably not enough for another drink so may add the last to another batch of cherries.

Did confirm 2 shots of whiskey to the one 8 oz jar of cherries was best when using some 82 proof blended that just doesn't work for me anymore. Not bad blended but my taste has moved on.

Fired up my second clanker since nothing pressing in the morning and noticed it is time to go goat shopping.

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We used to soak cherries in 151 like poors and eat them like candy, yum.

I don't really drink ever, but y'all make me wish I liked whiskey.

akmike47 said:

We used to soak cherries in 151 like poors and eat them like candy, yum.

I don't really drink ever, but y'all make me wish I liked whiskey.

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Your 151 experience reminds me of when I was a teenager, we'd add 151 to our Icee. Icee is a southern brand of frozen slushy. Whiskey can be an acquired taste. It takes a quite a few to get past the burn of the alcohol, then you start actually getting and tasting the different flavors. It's amazing how some people can taste certain qualities and others can't. I like bourbon. Never liked tequila, but I found Adictivo and I think it's awesome.

I think if people would try at least mid tier whiskey and get off the blended crap they would appreciate it.

But some will never try.